Rquest

The next morning, before Ethan and Camille began their duties, Theo summoned them to the Duke's office. Sitting in his father's chair while Ethan stood beside Camille, the boy began: 

"Dad, Mom... I want to become a Vagus agent." 

"No!" Camille instantly reprimanded. She hadn't expected that request, but her maternal instinct made her respond quickly. 

Crossing his arms, Ethan sighed before delivering his verdict. 

"How?" asked Theo. "Why?" 

A drop of sweat slowly trickled down his forehead. 

"Because no. Theo, you can't become a Vagus agent." 

"And why not?" 

"And why would I let you? Do you really want to spend your life away from me, your sisters, and our entire family, hiding in libraries, classrooms, running around the world, and facing beings beyond comprehension? For what?" 

"I'll figure it out," Theo retorted. That answer caught Liam's attention. "My instincts drive me to this desire. I have something to fulfill as an agent..." 

"No. You don't." 

"Yes, I do!" 

Raising his head and widening his eyes, Ethan cast an imposing gaze on Theo. Quickly, the boy understood what was happening. 

"You... didn't spend eighteen years trying to become a renowned writer and painter? So why can't I pursue what I want..." 

"Because you don't have a reason, boy!" 

"Give me a reason!" Theo retorted. Again, he was overwhelmed by Ethan's gaze. 

"Because..." 

"Because no, that's not an answer." 

Camille couldn't respond immediately. As a weapon, she shrugged and turned to her husband. 

"Ethan!" 

Looking at her husband, she waited for him to respond. However, she didn't get what she wanted; Ethan simply gave her a serene look and shrugged. To him, it was whatever... 

"And... Ethan! Are you serious?!" 

"Yes... I'm the last one who can judge what he wants," he said, scratching his arm. 

"No! You're the one with the most authority to say no. You lived this, Ethan. You understand this path perfectly, this route that gets lost in the middle of the forest and ends six feet underground." 

Theo lowered his head, letting his wavy hair cover his eyes. 

"And... Which path won't lead us to those six feet underground?" 

Camille was stunned by her son's stance. His father, however, supported his son's argument. 

Letting out a muffled, low laugh, Ethan stole the attention of those present. 

"Hey! Ethan! You should be helping me with this!" 

"What?" Ethan asked, uncrossing his arms. "That was a good argument for a child. Which path in our lives won't lead to death? I will die, you will too, he will, everyone will..." 

"I know! I just don't want to speed up that process by letting my son follow a suicidal path!" 

"I'm alive..." 

Camille quickly stood up from the chair, pushing it back with her legs. Placing her hands on her hips, she stared deeply into Ethan's eyes. 

"You're a special case! And seriously?! Are you considering allowing this nonsense?!" 

"Mom..." Theo tried, but his mother stopped him. 

"No!" She pointed her index finger at him, signaling him to be quiet. "What's been going through your head lately?!" 

"Camille... He's a child," said Ethan, pointing at Theo with an open palm. 

"Exactly!" 

"A child." The Duke maintained a calm tone from the beginning, and although he was opening a discussion, he kept even more control. "Children dream of something that, a few years later, they lose interest in. Until a few years ago, Thays wanted to be a veterinarian, now she wants to be a researcher. Understand?" 

"I won't change!" Theo exclaimed, stomping his foot. 

His posture was determined to prove his words. 

"I'm convinced of this!" 

"Hey! Hey, hey, hey! You're not even old enough to consider saying such things!" Camille reprimanded. 

Taking his wife's hands, Ethan guided her to take a deep breath. 

"There are positive points in this world..." 

"Oh, sure. In a world where there are snakes the size of cities, lions the size of buildings, terrorist attacks, governments on the brink of collapse, inequality, hunger, misery, and a thousand and one creatures I can't even imagine, what could possibly be positive?!" 

Ethan smiled. 

"For me? I found you. The world is all that, but it's where I found you, through love..." 

"Yes, yes. And do you think it'll be the same for him?" Camille's voice gradually calmed after her husband's peaceful comment. 

"Dad's got her under control..." Theo thought, seeing his mother lower her guard. 

Shaking his head, Ethan confirmed yes. He firmly believed that it's in the mud where men find gold. 

Shaking his head, Theo returned to the subject. 

"Stop! My future is mine," he complained aggressively. 

"Who decided that, boy?" 

"You've been repeating that since the beginning! If you don't have arguments or reasons to stop me, then why are you trying?! If you don't have the courage to decide, then I'll decide for myself!" 

"Whoa!" Ethan put his hand in front of Theo. 

The boy again retreated his posture. 

Sighing, he returned to a state of calm. 

"Do you allow it?" Theo asked his father. 

"Well... I've been teaching Edward for years, but, thinking about it, I've never taught a deviant who isn't even aware of his own core..." Ethan retorted, thoughtful about the request. 

Camille took her eyes off her son and looked at Ethan, incredulous at what had just come out of his mouth. She shook her head, trying to understand, but, still incredulous, she couldn't say anything. 

"Seriously?! Theo, no! His answer is also no!" 

"Actually, it's a yes." 

Camille's shoulders dropped. 

"What?!" 

"I allow him to become a Vagus agent. However, with one condition..." 

An indomitable glow took over Theo's amber eyes. His back straightened into an attentive posture... Pride was filling his chest. 

"You'll enter a Vagus academy in ten years... If I think you deserve it, you'll enter at thirteen. So, I'll train you for ten years, accepting the limit of what can be taught outside an academic institution. I'll do everything to prepare you so that, in the end, you graduate from the best academy available." 

Theo nodded in agreement. 

"Wait, I'm not done yet. While you're a student and my apprentice, I'll support you in every way. With money, contacts, recognition... Everything. However, from the moment you're placed in a squad and step outside my domain, I forbid you from even thinking about coming home." 

"Ethan..." Freezing at the tense atmosphere Ethan brought, Camille tried to appease. 

"Relax. You'll only be allowed to return when you're strong enough to protect everyone in this duchy and ready to turn it into a kingdom. That will be the consequence of your actions, and for acting as if you have responsibility and maturity over your words. For disrespecting your mother and yelling at her, for your arrogant and greedy attitudes. Do you understand what this means?" 

"Yes..." Theo responded hesitantly. 

"Well then... Since you spoke like an adult and even decided on your own, I'll treat you as such from now on." 

"Love..." 

Camille grabbed Ethan's arm with concern. 

"Do you understand? Do we have a deal?" 

Theo considered it. But, in the end, it was what he wanted. All the maturity Liam Mason could provide, combined with the teachings of Michel and Ethan, brought the boy to that moment. 

He was willing to walk through his personal purgatory to reach his Shangri-La. 

"Yes!" 

Extending his right hand, Theo was willing to shake his father's hand, who, without hesitation, greeted his son. 

However... 

Pulling Theo's arm and giving a slight push to his feet, Duke Lawrence placed some books as weight on the boy's back. 

"For disrespecting your mother and yelling at her, you'll do a hundred one-arm push-ups, since the other arm is fractured. Every time you disrespect someone, you'll do this again and twice as much. That is, next time it'll be two hundred push-ups. Do you understand me?" 

"Yes... sir..." 

Theo could barely speak under the weight of the books but managed to muster the strength to lift his body. Calmly, he began performing the exercises. 

"1... 2... 3..." 

Crossing his arms and returning to Camille's side, who was still in shock, Ethan said: 

"Ah, and you'll be responsible for the duchy for the next six months, love. I'll take care of him during that time. Depending on the results, I might continue training or return to managing everything while preparing him. Can you do that for me?" 

It was a request... But when it came to Ethan, people couldn't refuse. After everything the Duke had done for everyone, the only answer they could give was the only viable one... 

"Yes... Of course, I can, dear." 

Theo began to falter gradually when he reached the 20th push-up. 

"If you fail, you'll start over." 

Theo's eyes widened instantly. 

"Don't you think it'll be too much for him?" 

"Nah... He'll survive." 

After all, true angels always survive hell.